Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – Betting Tips

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the match 31 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Abu Dhabi on Monday. 

The home team in this fixture will be desperate to start the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-leg on a positive note as they are currently placed second from the bottom with just four points after seven matches played. 

The management will be hoping that the players will start producing the goods from the first match this time around. 

On the other hand, RCB are sitting pretty with 10 points after seven matches and the management will be hoping that the players will hit the ground running and help the side in cementing their spot in the playoffs. 

In the match between the teams earlier in the competition, it was the Royal Challengers who came out on top with a 38-run margin.

Kolkata Knight Riders Form and Team news: 

Kolkata Knight Riders will have majority of the players at their disposal who were the part of the squad originally. 

However, the team will miss star fast-bowler Pat Cummins who has been replaced by New Zealand’s veteran pacer Tim Southee in the contingent.

In the batting department, the KKR will be relying on the likes of captain Eoin Morgan, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, young Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana and star all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan, Ben Cutting, Andre Russell to score bulk of the runs and give the bowlers something to bowl with. 

On the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna, Russell along with the spin trio of Sunil Narine, Shakib and Kuldeep Yadav to produce timely breakthroughs. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore Form and Team News: 

Royal Challengers Bangalore will be going into the second-half of the competition with a rather weaken squad where they will have as many as five replacements from the original contingent. 

Australia’s trio of Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, New Zealand’s Finn Allen and all-rounder Washington Sundar has been replaced by Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, Dushmantha Chameera, George Garton and Akash Deep.

In the batting department, the team will be heavily relying on the likes of Captain Virat Kohli, young top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal, former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers, Australia’s explosive all-rounders Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian and David to score bulk of the runs and put the opposition under pressure. 

On the bowling front, the onus will be on the likes of pacers Kyle Jamieson, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel along with the spin trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Shahbaz Ahmed and Hasaranga to dismantle the opposition’s batting unit. 

Odds by Casumo

According to the Casumo sportsbook, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be favorites to win the 31st match of the Indian Premier League to be played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Dubai. For the 31st IPL game, Royal Challengers Bangalore are placed at 1.63 odds, while Kolkata Knight Riders are placed at 2.20 odds

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Our Tipsters Angle

Both teams will be coming in this fixture hoping to start the UAE-leg with a win. On paper, both sides have some very good players who have the ability to change the complexion of the match in the matter of few overs.

Even though RCB had to change as many as five players in the squad for the second-half of the competition, they still look a far formidable unit compared to KKR, especially in the absence of their star pacer Cummins. 

Therefore, the prediction is for Kohli-led side to secure an important win on Monday. 

Tip 1- Royal Challengers Bangalore aim to continue their winning streak

The franchise will take heart from the fact that they have won their last four matches on the trot against Kolkata Knight Riders. Virat Kohli-led unit will be hoping that the side can continue their dominance over Kolkata in this fixture. So we can expect Royal Challengers Bangalore to register a comfortable win over Kolkata Knight [email protected].

Tip 2- Virat Kohli to lead from the front with the bat

Despite struggling to produce runs in the red-ball cricket, Virat Kohli has shown exceptional form in the T20 format. In the five-matches played this season, Kohli has accumulated 231 runs at an average of 115.50 with three half-centuries to his name.

In the first half of the IPL played in India, Virat Kohli scored 198 runs in seven outings at an average of 33.00 with one half-century to his name. so we can expect captain Virat Kohli to score 20 runs or more against Kolkata Knight [email protected]

Conclusion

Expect Royal Challengers Bangalore to beat Kolkata Knight Riders and clinch top spot in the league table.

1. Royal Challengers Bangalore to register a comfortable win over Kolkata Knight [email protected].
2. Captain Virat Kohli to score 20 runs or more against Kolkata Knight [email protected]

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